Ball-retainer.



J. L. STRAUB.

BALL RETAINER. 1 APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1911,

Patentd Feb. 13,1912.

Unrrnn s r'rs JACKSON L. STRAUIB, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NORTO THE STAR BALL RETAINER COMPANY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORATION OF NEW annsnx.

BALLJRE'I'AINER.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Application filed December 6, 1911. Serial No. 664,231.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACKSON L. STRAUB,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and Stateof'Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBall-Retainers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ball retainers for ball bearings of the typeshown in Letters Patent to Henry B. Keipcr, No. 686,6l7, grantedNovember 12, 1901, and hasfor its object the production of a simple,efficient and inexpensive ball retaining device of the characterreferred to which shall possess all of the advantages of the Keiperretainer while easier and less expensive to make.

The invention-will first be'hereinafter more particularly described,with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to' be taken as apart of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at theend of the description. r

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a ball retainer embodying mypresent invention with the balls in position therein,

Fig 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an edge view ofthe retainer with the balls therein, Fig. 4 is a detail section on theline 4r--l of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is adetail section on the line ofFig 3,Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 iSgZlll inner edge view of a portion of the device, Fig. 8 is adetail plan looking at the side which is hidden in Fig. 1, Fig. 9 is adetail perspective view of a portion of the retainer.

The retainer comprises a ring or annular base portion 1 whichiscorrugated or formed with alternating ridges 2 and depressions orfurrows 3, the furrows being approximately semifunnel shaped so thatthesurfaces thereof extend transversely and obliquely to the axis of thering from the outer to the inner edge thereof, the inner ends of thefurrows being deeper and narrower than the outer ends of the same.Projections or,

standards 4, alternating with the furrows, extend from the outer edge onmargin. of the base substantially parallel with the axis of the ring andhave their free ends 5 extended inwardly, so as to overlie or overhangthe base, and tapered toward their extremities- The free ends of thestandards overlie the ring directly over the ridges,

one at each side of a furrow, and are'curved toward the ring, as shownmost clearly in Fig. 4. The effect of this construction is to increasethe length of the standards, or the distance from the tops thereof totheir bases,

or the bottoms of the depressions or furrows in the corrugated ring, andto bring the standards closer together than they were in the originalblank, thereby forming suitable spaces between ad aCent standards toreceive and confine the balls withoutpreventing free rotation thereof.

The particular formation of the furrows and the standards hereinbeforeset forth permits the balls tobe snapped into place between thestandards and seat in the furrows where they will be held out of contactand secured against displacement so that the re.- ta-iner and the ballstherein may be inserted in or removed from a bearing without loss of anyballs or disturbing their relative arrangement. The curved formation ofthe free ends of thestandards causes the standards to effectually retainthe balls without projecting beyond the circumference of the ring sothat there is no liability of any partof the retainer coming intocontact with the race rings, or similar members of the hearing, andcreating wearithereon.

Having thus described niy'invention, what I claim as novel and desire{.0 secure by Letters Patent is 1. A ball retainer and separator forballbearings consisting of" a base-ring with spaced standards extendingfrom the outer .edge thereof, the, free ends of the standardsoverhanging the ring, the latter being corrugated, thereby providingball-seating depressions betweenv the standards, said depressionsextending transversely of the axis of the ring and having the effect ofincreasing the length of the standards and lessening the distancetherebetween.

2. A ball retainer and separator for ball bearings consisting of abase-ring with spaced standards extending from its outer edge, the freeends of the standards overhangin the base-ring, the latter beingcorrugate therebyproviding ball-seating depressions between thestandards, said dopressions extending transversely of the axis of thering, and widening toward one edge of the ring and in effect increasingthe length of the standards and lessening the distance therebetween.

hanging the ring,

3. Asa new article of manufacture, a ball retainer and separator forball-bearingsconsisting oi a basering with spaced standards rising fromits outer edge, the free ends 0t said standards overhanging thebasering, the iatter beinglcorrugated, thereby providing depressionsbetween the bases of the standards to form alternatingridges andball-seating furrows which extend transversely of the axis of the ringand lessen the distance between adjacent a standards.

4. A; ball retainer and separator for ball bearings consisting of" abase-ring with spaced standards extending from the 'outer edge thereofparallel with the axis of the same, the free ends of the standardsoversaid base-ring being corrugated, thereby providing depressionsbetween the standards to form furrows having their inner ends deeper andnarrower or/nee said standards overhanging the base-ring;

and being curved toward the same, the latter being corrugated, therebyproviding depressions between the bases of the standards to formalternating ridges and ball-seating furrows which extend transversely ofthe axis of the ring andfilessen the distance be tween adjacentstandards.

- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JACKSON L. STULUB,

Witnesses:

M. .A. FURLMER, A. G. HERTZLER.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G.

